Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written and published two books. Awakening to Life was my first; I wrote it when I was 16 years old and posted each chapter on Wattpad as I went. It was a fantastic experience – it meant I was never lonely, I got constant feedback from readers, and it was a lot of fun! The Wattpad community also kept me accountable by begging for the next chapter as soon as they’d finished the one before. So I learned to write quickly from the get-go. My second book is a contemporary romance and it’s published traditionally (i.e. with a publishing house). It’s under a different name though, and I like to keep them separate.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This latest book is actually my first book: Awakening to Life. It’s gone through a bit of a rebrand now that I know more about this business of being an author. Publishing is my favourite part of the process (the actual writing is my least).
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write at a desk! I sit on the couch and have terrible posture, but that’s how the words flow…
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Meg Cabot, Tamora Pierce and John Marsden for YA. Rachael Johns, Sally Thorne, Kylie Scott and Tess Lesue are wonderful for romance.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a few different books. Another YA, two contemporary romances and a few novelettes – which is a really fun length to write.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Wattpad has been a massive tool of promotion for me. Awakening to Life received over 9.7 million views before I decided to self publish. It’s still on my account as a sample (10 chapters) and a lot of readers find their way to the published version from there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot and learn as much as you can. Go to workshops and writers festivals. Get feedback from writers who know more than you do.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
My writing mentor always tells me to add more emotion. Her advice runs through my head every time I write a scene. It pushes me to always go for more.
What are you reading now?
I’m just about to start reading Who’s That Girl by Mhairi McFarlane.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More books! I just want to keep writing. Thankfully I’ve found this passion young, so hopefully I’ll have many decades of books ahead of me.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Can I take all the books in a series and count that as 1? All bound together into one ginormous bit of goodness? Yes? Excellent. So, my choices would be:
1. Harry Potter series – J.K. Rowling
2. The Mediator series – Meg Cabot
3. Song of the Lioness – Tamora Pierce
4. Protector of the Weak – Tamora Pierce
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